What's So Great About Water?

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Far too many of us don't. In doing so, we unwittingly forego the wide-ranging benefits of one of the cheapest and most accessible aids to good health. Because water - just plain water - is what helps our bodies tick along smoothly, keeps our systems going and even relieves minor ailments.

Everybody knows that, without water, we'd die of thirst. But not many realize that water does much more than wet a dry mouth! That's why we need around two to three liters (8-10 glasses) of fluid everyday. If you are currently getting by on a few sips here and there, you might wonder why such hefty amounts are needed. Here are some answers to some questions you might want to ask.

Q #1: I don't feel very thirsty - why must I drink plenty of water?

Because water does more than quench your thirst. It works inside your body on a minute-to-minute basis. Water has a role to play in every vital function of the body.

We may be in the jet-age, but inside our body everything still works on "water-transport"! Vital supplies of food, oxygen and infection-fighting cells flow around the body through the blood, which is 83% water. Digesting food and absorbing it needs some water too, because digestive juices work better in a semi-fluid environment. Even breathing in and out needs moisture. In fact, it is possible to use up the equivalent of two glassfuls of water a day, just exhaling!

Again, many of the body 's waste products can be thrown out only if they are well-dissolved in water (as sweat and urine). If there is insufficient water to carry out this function, the body may retain toxins and end up being poisoned by its own waste products! Sounds far-fetched? Small proofs of this are not difficult to find. Forget to drink enough water and you may soon be suffering from constipation!

Water, when it leaves the body as sweat, is what keeps our body temperature constant even on the hottest summer day. Our body operates on delicate chemistry and it is water that maintains the internal balance. When every bodily process is using up water, imagine how vital it is to replace used-up fluids. A stray glassful can hardly do the job!

Q #2: Can't we depend on our body to demand enough water, according to its needs?

By and large, YES. Thirst is the body's signal that the system is "running dry". But natural signals would be wholly dependable only if we led a wholly natural life! The farm labourer drinks water by the jugful, because he works up a powerful thirst that is hard to ignore. The average city worker, on the other hand, ends up drinking far too little water, often less than he should. The reasons are many: Sedentary work, especially in an air-conditioned room, produces only a mild thirst that is easily ignored. Fear of water-borne diseases prevents city-dwellers from drinking water away from home. People are equally finicky about using public toilets. So they play it safe by drinking as little water as possible!

And then there are umpteen myths about the "ill-effects" of drinking water. Here are some that we've heard - do you believe in any of them? Frequent drinking of water causes a sore throat... Cold water makes people fat... Water interferes with digestion... Drinking water aggravates a case of vomiting and diarrhoea... People with coughs and colds should avoid drinking water... Drinking water before exercise gives you cramps in the stomach...

These beliefs have no scientific basis and some of them can prove downright dangerous, say doctors. With so many misconceptions floating around, it is not surprising that the thirst signal often goes unanswered, or only nominally satisfied. A few sips of water will take the edge off your thirst, but that little amount cannot meet your needs.
Q #3: What happens if you don't drink enough water?

If you drink sufficient water occasionally, your body adjusts: it secretes less urine and otherwise manages to function normally. But those who habitually drink too little water may develop problems. Healthy kidneys keep the body's water at a safe level, but operating with insufficient fluid puts them under a strain. When You drink insufficient water, that fluid is used up for vital functions, leaving little for other processes. For example, hydration of the skin or digestion may be hampered, resulting in problems like dry-looking skin or constipation.

A certain amount of water should pass through the kidneys every day, otherwise bacteria which should be flushed out of the kidneys, bladder and urethra will lodge there. This give rise to urinary tract infections, with symptoms of burning while urinating, backache and so on.

Certain common drugs (including painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs) leave behind a residue in the kidneys, which must be washed out with plenty of water so that it does not accumulate and damage kidney tissue.

Insufficient water can also cause kidney stones in those predisposed to them. Regularly drinking plenty of water actually helps prevent kidney stones and i